Postdoc: Geodynamic Modeling and GNSS-Based Crustal Deformation

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

2d

About The Position

New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus at JPL. We ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers—literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission—your opportunity—is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you’re driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you’re ready for JPL. Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence. JPL is unique among NASA Centers in that its staff are Caltech employees, yet can access NASA technical resources. Cross-discipline teamwork is standard here: colleagues across JPL's science and engineering organizations and on Caltech's academic campus often work together. Learning to speak and understand other disciplines' languages is a doorway to the creativity needed to do what has not been done before. JPL staff are encouraged to create mission concepts that address humanity's core questions through a combination of science and technology. They are supported in developing ideas into proposals and hardware, and in communicating funded missions' results to the scientific community and the broader public. JPL seeks to employ scientists and engineers who are passionate about lifelong learning and excited to both contribute to and lead team efforts. We emphasize the importance of partnering across discipline boundaries and creating a friendly, constructive work environment to overcome space exploration's challenges. The Postdoctoral scholars at JPL benefit from an informal mentoring network, an annual conference showcasing their results, a dedicated seminar series, exposure to diverse career paths, and social connections across the JPL and Caltech community for advice on housing, childcare, and other aspects of living in southern California. This postdoc position seeks a recent Ph.D. in Geophysics or Geodesy (within the past 12 months) with demonstrated expertise in constructing and implementing geodynamic models to predict crustal deformation, with particular emphasis on plate motion. The successful candidate will develop and integrate physically based models of plate kinematics and plate boundary processes (including coseimsic offsets and postseismic transients), glacial isostatic adjustment, and GRACE-derived mass change estimates to improve GNSS time series modeling and to predict time-dependent displacements at passive benchmarks without continuous GNSS monitoring. Conducted within the collaborative and mission-driven environment of JPL, the research will leverage observations from multiple space-geodetic techniques and satellite missions to improve predictions of crustal displacement and refine reference frame realizations. The role requires knowledge in Python and C software development, including the ability to design, maintain, and adapt modular code that translates geophysical models into operational prediction tools. Experience working with geospatial agencies, contributing to geodetic software systems, and clearly communicating technical methodologies to users is essential. The ideal candidate will contribute a distinctive perspective from their doctoral research, particularly in applying novel field instrumentation protocols and linking them directly to algorithm development, thereby advancing model validation efforts and enabling new research directions within the project. The postdoctoral scholar will join the Earth Science Section’s Solid Earth and Ice Group for a two-year appointment and will develop integrated software tools to forecast geodetic site positions. In summary, this includes: Extrapolating site motion from existing geodetic time series, Generating forward predictions based exclusively on physics-based geodynamic models, Development of a global plate motion and strain model derived from observations at thousands of GNSS sites, and Participation in the analysis and validation of surface mass change signals through the combined use of GPS positioning, GRACE gravity observations, and hydrological data.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Geophysics, Geodesy, or related Earth science field
• Demonstrated expertise in data modeling from geodetic and geophysical data
• Strong knowledge of Python, C, or other programming languages

Nice To Haves

• Strong analytical and quantitative skills
• Experience developing scientific software and publishing peer-reviewed research
• Effective written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated initiative, creativity, and ability to work collaboratively

Responsibilities

• Extrapolating site motion from existing geodetic time series
• Generating forward predictions based exclusively on physics-based geodynamic models
• Development of a global plate motion and strain model derived from observations at thousands of GNSS sites
• Participation in the analysis and validation of surface mass change signals through the combined use of GPS positioning, GRACE gravity observations, and hydrological data.

Benefits

• health
• dental
• vision
• wellbeing
• retirement plans
• paid time off
• learning
• rideshare
• childcare
• flexible schedule
• parental leave

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree